After putting out the call for dive buddies me and my buddy Al wandered off to Three Tree for a Thursday dive, basking in the glow of a September Sun. A few cars in the “parking lot” got my hopes up that a fellow diver might be there, but alas, “only” fishermen. The beach was still “marked off” from the apparent (so I had heard, anyway) altercation that had gone on with a resident fighting off the invasion of Humpy seekers from “their beach”. Sticks were in plain sight marking off acceptable territory, and the fishermen were complying – if not the beach hikers.
The fishermen were pleasant, and I struck up a conversation and was asked the typical questions about what I see down there and bottom topography. I told them that I would go in to the South of them, then work my way back roughly parallel with them and would then work my way back South and come shallow well away from where they were whipping the water into a froth in their quest for the remnant of the Humpy run. All seemed to be understood and appreciated.
Then I threw in the most important piece of the conversation - “Say, if you see any bubbles out there, that is most likely going to be me, since fish don't have lungs and don't breathe air the way we do.” **GRIN**
(Gotta do this without insulting anyone!!!) 
“Oh yeah, that's right!” was the quick reply, and we all chuckled and I walked away hoping that I had contributed to good will in general and my own underwater safety in particular by an attempt at being civil.
I quickly geared up, walked down the beach past the intrepid anglers, and sighed contentedly as I dipped into the wonderfully cool water to counteract the baking effects of the rare PNW sunshine. As I put my fins on I had to do a double take – I could see at least 40' in the shallows!! The drop off was clearly visible from 5' of water.
I eagerly kicked out towards the buoy. A quick peek every now and then let me know that it was still holding! In the past I had been disappointed when I had seen the viz be great in the shallows and then go to crap as soon as we got deeper, so my glances downward were reassuring, and I was getting more and more excited!
On one of my downward glances I spotted a Humpy carcass being biodegraded by two Red Rock crab, so I dropped to take a few shots. After taking pics of the feasting Red Rocks from a couple of angles I continued on down slope and began to drift toward the Cabin Cruiser. The current was heading slightly South – a little strange for this site, but not unheard of. The Cabin Cruiser quickly came into view and I started snapping happily away.
After 10-15 minutes something didn't seem quite right, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I stopped and thought for a second, and then realized - “I haven't turned my light on yet!” Wow. Now that is a sunny day and great viz when you can start your dive, be at 70 fsw, and have forgotten to turn your light on!
I spent 15 minutes or so on the Cruiser and then turned north, happily reacquainting myself with all the familiar denizens of this dive site. The viz made navigation absolutely unnecessary and I simply went from photo op to photo op.
64 minutes later I surfaced just South of the knot of determined Humpy seekers, stepping into the gloriously sunny September day – fabulous dive!
Three Tree is generally 5-15' better viz wise than most sites in the South Sound, so if you are hankering for some better viz and don't mind chatting with a couple fishermen, go for it!
Perhaps a few pics later... thanks for reading.
